San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-02

Very we'll
She suffered rather than welcomed the
caress, and then vanished among the trees,
leaving her lover with flushed cheek and
beating heart, to encounter the somewhat
grim old bachelor who was advancing
slowly toward him along the orchard path.
CHAPTER H.-UNCLE WILLS OPINION.
Valerie's father Edmund Herbert, was
younger son of "A younger son; man Of
ancient fumily, with far more blue blood"
in his veins than gold in his pockets. In
fact, he had little beyond his pay as officer
in crack regiment; but he was fine
| looking man. and q noble fellow into the
bargain: 50, when Valerie st. Clair pre-.
ferred him to richer admirers, people were
| not so much surprised; though NRlerie's
sister, who married the rich Mr.. Langley,
and was left IA wealthy widow, always con-
| sidered the Herbert alliance folly"
1t was not folly of long duration. Ma
| jor Herbert was killed in India when his
| little daughter was still a child, and his
wife did not long survive him
| Then William the Mai IS elder brother,
took charge of the little one, and brought
her up as well as he knew how, which, as
he was recluse, loving his books and his
garden, and knowing little Of the world
| and nothing at all about children, was let
ting her pretty well run wild
Uncle Will was in reality barely fifty,
but he looked ten years older; his hair was
iron gray, and his face deeply lined, and
he stopped as he walked
"Ah! Charters, " he cried, catching sight
of the young mans figure at the stile; 'all
| alone, ehY Where is the child?"
she has just left me- returned Louis,
with a backward gesture toward the wood
land behind him. "She was here minute
| ago"
"Why did she run away" asked Mr..
| Herbert, unsuspcOusly; and, without
waiting for an answer, he pOked with his
stick at a currant-bush, adding: Looks
| poor and thin: must have something done
to tilt has hardly borne any fruit this year"
Yes; it seems to want attention. said
Louis, who knew no more about currant-
| bushes than ne did about the source Of the
Nile, or the Angio-Indan controversy; but
| he wanted to conciiutr uncle Will.
Seems to- should tmiak it dill seem
tor' observe Mr.. Herbert, still po,.:ng ut
the unfortunate bush "TIl have it pruucd
and tied up. You'll stay to dinner, of
| course, Charteris.'
They dincl early at the Lines.
81 shall be very pleasel,' said Louis,
swapping off 4 larrc twi@ from the h"'i.gn
near him. and beginning 70 ''whi,tlc' it.
Uncle Will lcft his rurrnnt bush, lad
came up to the stile, Scati - himself "u i""
lowest step thereof, and Louis gathered /"
| little courage He felt that he could --.t
| out what he had to say better when NJ.
| Herbert was not facing him.
Very hot to-day" said Uncle VIII, re
| moving his hat.
VERY hot" assented Louis, absently.
There was pause.
1T is eighty-siX degrees in the shaded
| parlOr," said Uncle viii.
'Indeedn' responded Louis, feeling As if
it was something like one hundred and
twenty degrees out here just now.
He must make plunge or the dinner
bell would ring, and he might not get an
other chance that day.
''Mr Herbert, he began desperately.
"Well?" inquired the recluse, mildly.
He was the most unObSprvant of men,
and therefore of no use in the world to help
a lame dog over a stile.
81 wanted" said Louis, flinging away
the twig, and clearing his throat-''I want
ed to speak to you"
His voice was husky, his manner agita-
ted.
Uncle viii perceived there was some
change, and half turned round, but, with
out looking up, said, mildly:
II am ready to listen; what have you to
say"
II wanted totell yOu stammered Louis,
''to say-to-tO-speak to u-abOut-Na-
lerie"
Uncle Will raised his shaggy eyebrows
in surprise; but he had not the least suspic-
ion of the truth.
About Valerie?" he repeated, wheeling
round, and looking full in the young mans
flushed face We'll what about herr
"Oh! Mr. Herbert, can't you understand.
love her, ana she loves me. | want your
consent to make her my wife,
"WHAT"'
Uncle Will rose erect, and stared at the
young lover us if he had been an octopus.
But now that the thing had come out,
Louis felt bolder, and stood his ground
without ninching.
81 repeat, " he said "that love her, and
she has promised to be my wife"
Suddenly Uncle Wits grim features re-
Taxed. He burst into il lou,l. harsh laugh.
Upon my word" he said, "a charming
idyl! Paul and Virginia over again. And
pray when did this child, just out of the
pinafores, promise to marry you, who have
scarcely more than left schOoly'
Louis turned scarlet This kind Of ban
ter is, of all things, most trying to the
young.
You forgot" he said, that am twenty.
two, and Valerie seventeen"
Very mature ages, certainly! So you
put your two silly heads together here-at
this stile-a little while ago, and determ-
ined to become man and wife. Is thatit?"
Eyes" said the young Charters. per
hapS ought to have spoken to you first"
II rather think you ought; and If you
done it. But it does not much signify.
The thing is utterly absurd. Valerie is
child-a mere child; and you have nothing
to marry upon"
II don't ask to marry her HOIU" cried
Louis, but only your consent to our en-
gagement."
ooh! consider yourselves engaged as
much as you like said Uncle VIII. with
his harsh, bantering laugh; lit won't hurt
you or me; it is utter nonsense, utter non
sense, l tell you A boy and girl! Ha! ha
But don't ask me anything more about
marrying for two years to come at least
won't hear of il; and mind! | don't con
slider there is an engagement Ridiculous
1T is not nonsense to us!' said the young
man, with ali the fervent confidence of